


Crush Me

by notobsessedjustobservant



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Multi, come back pls, hehe ya'll I'm back to revive my timdieya sisters, lol should I finish her, lol ya'll he visited her in LA yet there's no pics, possible prequel to Shove It, smh, timdieya sisters stay starving, ya'll DONE DIPPED once It came out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-01-08 20:50:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12261837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notobsessedjustobservant/pseuds/notobsessedjustobservant
Summary: School life was repetitive, honestly. It was a constant cycle of learning new things everyday.For example, today he learned that MJ had a crush. He also learned that this crush was on Josh. Another thing he learned that wasn't necessarily new information; he wasn't Josh.Learning sucked ass.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Who wants some corny shit to keep them fed throughout this Peter/Mj or Spideychelle and Timdieya drought???

School life was repetitive, honestly.

It was a constant cycle of taking notes in APUSH, memorizing terms he'd forget after one quiz for Honors Spanish 3, making a block of wood look presentable in wood shop, eating lunch with Ned and MJ, studying for an upcoming chemistry quiz ten minutes before it happens, dozing off in Calculus, writing some fruitless poem in Lang that would make MJ cringe when she edits it for him, iterating Acadec terms constantly, and learning new things every day. 

For example, today he learned that MJ had a crush.

He also learned that this crush was on Josh.

Another thing he learned that wasn't necessarily new information; he wasn't Josh.

Learning sucked ass.

  


MJ was a girl he had no idea how he started liking and he really wished he didn't. 

She was the one thing that he couldn't grasp.

She worked differently than other girls; she went against the status quo. She didn't try to be different. She was just MJ, sarcastic and witty and smart and mesmerizing and amazing and really _really_ beautiful.

The girl who would like a guy nicknamed JZ. Fucking JZ.

(He should have seen it coming. It made sense since she always played “Crazy In Love” all the time instead of her usual songs. 

And she says _he's_ the loser.)

The girl who calls him loser, dweeb, buffoon, nerd, and pathetic and plenty more profanities at least three times each every day.

Just MJ.

 

"Why do you even like him?". He looks at her, she's casually glancing at _him_ from two tables ahead while flipping through a page of _Love Letters of Great Men_. 

Oddly enough, MJ with an infatuation caused even her literary choices to be more romantic. 

"First of all, I don't know _who_ you're talking about," and he raises his eyebrow at her, "and let's just say, theoretically, I did, I would say it's because he's," and she pauses, lost in thought.

"He's just, a nice guy," and Peter swears she exhaled adoringly at _him_ , "He's not a dumbass," Peter snorts and can't help but think, _I'm not that much of a dumbass_ , "He isn't a dick," _I'm not a total dick, either_ , "Plus, remember when you were 'too' busy to help me on our titration lab in chemistry?" 

He definitely remembers. He was late to their meet up at the library due to saving some kids from a school bus accident. 

As an Avenger, he doesn't expect any rewards or bonuses for his help; he doesn't need or want that. The thing was, if something was going to happen, especially directly relating to him, he would have appreciated it being something in his favor. 

But, alas, the world did not work in his favor. 

"So, when you didn't show up for an hour, he possibly could have helped me with some of the lab questions." 

_What's the opposite of karma?_

"I _may_ have invited him to carpool with me on the subway ride to the Women's Rights Protest afterwards, so we both bonded over our love to exercise our first amendment and feminism." 

Seriously though, what did the world have with screwing over Peter with awful ass timing? That day, he was upstate training with Mr. Stark on some new Spidey equipment so he couldn't attend the protest at all. He tried to call her or FaceTime her yet, when he did, it would just go straight to voicemail. She finally texted back saying, "OK, I get it. You want to be here w/ us but you can't. Sorry not sorry loser((; It's YOUR fault you have an intern field trip anyway. I'll just make Ned photoshop you in the pics."

Of course, all the pictures would end up being MJ, _Josh_ , and Peter (with the help of miraculous, not at all subtle, photoshop).

He sees Josh wave to MJ and MJ give him an eyebrow raise and slight lift of the corners of her lips when he looks away. 

Peter feels nauseous.

"Are you okay there? You look like the same color of polo Flash wore yesterday," she drily laughs to which he joins in by nervously laughing. 

“You better not be getting the stomach flu like Ned; that shit is so disgusting. I'm not going over to _both_ of your houses to drop off homework." She rolls her eyes and snatches a fry off his tray. 

He thinks it's pretty ironic. 

The love bug is way more disgusting than the stomach flu.

”I’m fine. I just- I just can’t believe you like someone,” he tries to say noncommittally. 

”For fucks sake, we've been close friends since the end of sophomore year and I get that this whole situation is confusing and weird to you, but imagine how it is for _me_. Fuck you and Ned for acting like I’m not allowed to have feelings. Like I’m not a girl,” she rolls her eyes and flips a page in her book. 

“But, but- I meant-.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she rolls her eyes and waves her hand at him to shut up, “I know what you mean. If you think _you’re_ surprised, put yourself in my shoes dumbass. It’s just- It’s just so, so lame and unpleasant to like a boy in high school. It’s embarrassingly common and unnecessary. I feel like the damn locals I complain about on twitter.” She sighs and flips a page. 

“Anyway, is this how you two buffoons always feel like? Maybe this is karma for being too sarcastic to you guys since your feeble minds can’t even fathom what I’m saying." 

He coughs and chokes at that. 

_Shit, she knows._

"I swear to your Iron Man shrine, if this gets-“ she starts waving her French fry at him to emphasize her point.

“First of all, I _don’t_ have an Iron Man shrine,” he says while his voice gets squeakier and he blushes rapidly. "And secondly, I would never expose you. For my safety and your privacy, obviously. And, to think, _you're_ the one always pestering me on being a dumbass,” he laughs and she doesn’t look impressed. 

"Peter, I'm serious," and she stares at him all serious and stern and it makes him squirm all over again. "I trust you dweebs, I do. I just hope you guys know how annoyingly important it is to me that you guys, for once in you damn lives, keep you ass out of your mou-". 

He definitely should be scared for himself for being attracted to MJ while she blatantly berates him. Hell, she could be yelling at him for some idiotic thing he did and he'd _still_ find a way to find her absolutely adorable.

Okay, so maybe he _does_ need help.

“Okay, okay. I promise, for the hundredth time, I won’t say a word about this to anyone but you and Ned. You do know that Ned and I actually, like, _care_ about you, right? We wouldn't do anything to deliberately hurt you." 

He can feel his cheeks heat up almost immediately, but it's worth it because he sees MJ giving him _that_ grin. His favorite smile of her's that's only noticeable to him. 

”I appreciate it, Parker. Your silence can be a redeemed by one favor, lame- o.” 

He sees Josh walking by their table to which MJ, not even looking up from her book, gives him the middle finger while he gives her an "L" and walks with his other friends who are all _joshing_ , pun intended, him. 

He can hear, "Go get your girl!" from one of Josh's friends and MJ fires back with a, "That's sexist, dumbass. Josh, educate your friends," to which Josh says, "Yes, ma'am," and leaves with a wink to MJ.

MJ _blushes_.

As in cheeks red, slightly smiling, and happy blushing.

"He is so stupid," and Peter wishes MJ meant what she said the way he does, "Does that make me stupid?".

"Maybe."

"Shut up," and she throws a fry at him, "You've done _way_ more embarrassing shit near Liz. Even Ned couldn't make as big as a fool of himself as you when he asked out Betty. Maybe it's a curse, being friends with you losers. I think it's causing me to be a dumbass hormonal teen who's _slightly_ , only slightly, in like with someone. You know what that feels like?"

“Yeah, yeah, I kind of do.”

 

Okay, so maybe the stomach flu may be _as_ bad as the love bug.

Two days later and now it's MJ who has the flu.

He's been here, at her house, for four hours and he has a Calculus test to study for when he comes home, but he can't seem to leave.

She's won't stop laughing at the stupid shenanigans of Dwight and Jim from _The Office_ and with each laugh, she gets sweatier and sweatier so even without the fever's help she’s burning up. With a thick layer of VapoRub on her upper lip and throat, she inhales and exhales smoothly, smoother than when he first arrived. Holding onto her MacBook for dear life, she shuffles in her big bundle of thick blankets and swats Peter's hand away from prying one of her blankets.

"Comfy?" he asks. He's positioned right next to her on her bed, with his body outside the layers of blankets, and shivering due to the fan being at it's maximum force so MJ could cool.

"Can anyone _truly_ be comfy while the patriarchy remains?" she says while moving her face opposite of Peter so she could sneeze into a tissue. She promptly throws away the tissue then applies hand sanitizer. 

"Good answer," he says and she agrees by nodding.

She snuggles up to his arm just a bit so her head is ever so slightly resting on his top left shoulder.

"Don't say anything, Parker. You're actually very comfortable to lay on and this is your one redeeming act for benefitting off of being a white male in a white supremacist patriarchal society we live in.” She snuggles deeper into him as he opens up his arm to accept her next to him. 

He doesn't say anything. He can't by the way he's smiling so widely.

 

He should have left hours ago. It's eleven at night and he doesn't know why he didn't leave earlier. 

He looks to his right and sees a sniffling mess. 

That's why.

"Okay, so text me everything that will be on the test tomorrow," she coughs then continues, "okay?".

She's walking him out of her place, still snuggled up in blankets and still looking cute. 

"Of course."

"Alright, be safe and text me when you come home, please? I know you're not that much of a dumbass, but I like to know that you've made it home alive. For research purposes solely." 

She knows he already knows to do this. She's asked him and he's asked her to do the same too many times, but it's _their_ thing so she keeps on asking it. 

And he's totally fine with MJ being concerned for him.

Totally.

He's smiling _too_ widely for it to look natural, but he manages to say, "I know, MJ. Just get some rest and I'll be back after school tomorrow."

"Ugh, again?" she laughs while Peter lightly throws the nearest cushion at her. "Why, oh why," she promptly coughs which interrupts her monologue, "must I be _so_ irresistible?" she says while rolling her eyes. She closes the door on his face as he turns around and he can hear a faint "Bye!", coughing, and laughing noise on the other side.

If she didn't slam the door on him, she would've known that he would have said, "Why do you have to be irresistible?". 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the sweet teas in last chapters comments ONLY<33 (+ I really wanted to post up), my lil simp chapter.

"Dude, you seriously need to stop this. MJ is our friend. One friend shouldn’t make googely eyes at the other _friend_ twenty- four seven." 

Ned's right. He really should stop staring. 

But, he can't.

"Okay, fine. I'll just look at my locker instead." He moves so he's facing his locker again and starts putting in his combo. He hears MJ give _him_ a sarcastic laugh that he knows _he_ deserves to hear, not him.

"Why does she even like him?" he asks Ned while taking out his Chemistry book.

Ned sighs. "Buddy, I don't know. He's just a crush. It's not serious or anything. Plus, they've only been on one, one," and he emphasizes it by wiggling his pointer finger at Peter, "date. And it’s only a date if you consider studying at the library a date.” 

He does.

“Who knows how much MJ likes him? Maybe, she doesn't like him all that much." 

"Yeah, maybe." He glances over to see _him_ and MJ walking to the vending machine on the side farthest away from him.

"Just use your, uh, hearing," and Ned, with no comprehension on subtlety, winks at him, "to hear them talk." 

_Not a bad idea. Although, if MJ ever found out, knowing her she would find out, we would be screwed._

_Thank you, radioactive spider, for the very, very wonderful Spidey senses._

  


“-exactly! No offense to Fitzgerald but, _The Great Gatsby_ isn’t a masterpiece, okay.” 

He hears MJ laugh and Peter smiles at the sound of that. 

“Thank you for agreeing with me! I am done with Ms. Schwidt thinking it’s the most romantic literary work when the main protragonist was borderline psychotic and definitely pathetic.”

“Not a problem, MJ,” and MJ laughs again and Peter assumes that Josh did some stupid thing again that MJ just finds _so_ ‘stupid’. 

“Oh, shit, here I’ll pay.” He can hear some coins going down the vending machine and the sound of it moving down to hit the bottom.

“Wow. Who are you trying to flex for? You do know I’m not a weak woman who just waits around for the nearest male to pay for her shit right? I could’ve finessed one without you paying.”

_Yes, MJ, tell him off._

“Yeah, I know, but I wanted to.”

_Shut up._

“Well, I don’t like letting people buy me stuff, especially stuff that costs two- fifty.”

“Who said you’re not paying me back?”

“Oh shut up, you dumbass,” and Peter can hear MJ hit Josh playfully on his shoulder while he pretends to wince.

For a moment, Peter wishes it _did_ hurt but then he remembered that Tony would have whooped his ass for putting his feelings before other’s safety and that he’s not a sadist.

He’d agreed with MJ’s statement that Josh equates dumbass, but it felt pretty lame to agree, in tangent with the whole ‘lol I, like, _really_ like you MJ so please don’t like Josh’ situation.

“Ah, now you really owe me. You can pay me back by either paying me back the two- fifty,” he ‘boos’ at that and Peter can just imagine MJ raising her eyebrow, “or you can go with me to watch the new Idris Elba movie.” 

_He’s motherfucking blackmailing her!_

“Oh my, such absolutely positively beautiful choices. I got to say, the movie doesn’t sound _that_ bad of a way to spend a Saturday night.”

_Oh._

“In my, honest opinion, I think it’s perfect.” 

_Well, in my honest opinion, I think you should shut the fuck up Joshua._

“Hmm, maybe,” and he just _knows_ that she gave a tiny smile at, _bleh_ , him again and says, “Just so you know, I’m only going because you’re a nice guy, not because of your pick up line that propels society’s sexist norms in which women _always_ owe men a date which they never do.” 

Josh’s mouth makes an ‘O’. 

_Hah, dumbass._

“Text me the details later, duffus.”

_Okay, maybe I lost here._

She starts to head to her locker near Peter and Ned so they start to make a fake conversation.

“-and I said, duh, I can do one hundred-“ Ned begins before being cut off by MJ.

“You guys should really learn the art of subtlety,” she grabs her chemistry book and waves to them and says, “Bye, losers.”

“Okay, now that she and him are gone, tell me what happened!” Ned says all excited and ready to hear the tea while it was fresh and hot, not a week old.

_Everything, my guy, everything._

  


He shouldn’t have listened to their conversation. He should have listened to his moral side preach on the lack of privacy listening in on her conversation with _him_ is the unjust use of his ‘powers’.

He probably shouldn’t have, not followed, but make his patrol _centered_ around where MJ and her _date_ were.

For safety reasons only.

And because he’s definitely not a creep or stalker. 

Personal boundaries and whatever.

Of all the terrible decisions he has made in the past, this one had to be in the top ten. 

If he didn’t listen, he wouldn’t be on his bed listening to MJ’s self proclaimed “Simp Playlist” and thinking of how to finesse his way out of going to school tomorrow. And the day after that. And the days and months and years after that. 

Okay, so maybe he was being a _bit_ over dramatic, but still. A hormonal teenage boy with feelings for a girl who _clearly_ doesn’t like him would ensue dramaticness. 

When he thinks that, all he can hear in his head is MJ saying, “Dramatic ass, stress about AP Lang doofus, your GPA needs that.” 

Even in his head he can’t escape her. 

How the hell was he supposed to pretend _they_ almost kissed? How the hell was he supposed to pretend that he didn’t know the whole ass conversation Josh and MJ had? 

He couldn’t. 

  


“Are you crying?” once hearing that, Peter, or Spider- man since he’s on his night patrol and fully ensembled, swerved to see her face. 

It wasn’t hard since he was hanging upside down.

She’s glowing by the lights provided by the movie theater and Peter is in awe.

She has just the faintest tears in her eyes and Peter knows there’s only two things that make MJ cry; the first being Idris Elba and the second being Stan Twitter.

“Shove it. I- I just _really_ appreciate Idris Elba and all that he gives to the cinematic scene.” 

“You must really like him, huh?” 

“Since I was a teeny bopper I’ve _been_ in love with him.”

He sees Josh laugh and comb his hair back which, to Peter’s dismay, MJ ever so subtly awes at.

_MJ, you’re so lame. Haha, that rhymed._

“I like hanging out with you. You’re fun,” and he can see from up here MJ’s blush. “And you’re smart and cute and have a weird sarcastic humor..."

He sees Josh lean in on MJ and he can’t stop looking. It’s like one of his worst nightmares being played in slow motion and he can’t even close his eyes to stop seeing it.

Although, he is lucky he saw that nuisance of a human come in. He doesn’t know how to feel when he sees a man in an all black outfit put his arm around her waist and knife at her throat.

All he can think is, _Well, shit._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLA. I'll be real busy soon, but I'll try to update as much as I can!! Do well on your PSATs and prosper at school laid ease. I'm grateful for all yalls sweet lil comments they warm my comment- whore heart<33.

Peter sees the initial shock on her face morphe into anger.

“Jesus, buddy. At least give me _some_ warning before you try to kill me, that’s the least you can do. Ever heard of common courtesy?”

 _MJ is a badass._

_Stupid and prideful, but a badass._

“Shut the fu-“ but he doesn't continue because MJ interrupts him. The guy just had to have the nerve to get angry with her.

“Language,” and she rolls her eyes at him.

“Jeez, I get that you probably lack common courtesy since you’re holding me at what seems to be knife- point, but seriously, don’t curse in front of my good old, Christian church loving pal Josh,” she says while using her chin to point to Josh, who after getting pushed to the ground a few milliseconds ago, was in shock.

Josh gets up from his later position slowly and cautionally and puts his hands up to show peace. “MJ, I _really_ think that you shouldn’t-“.

“Shut up,” MJ and her ‘robberer’/ ‘capturer’ say in unison.

“Ugh, that was weird,” MJ says while making a face of disgust.

“Anyway, before Josh interrupted me, just tell me how much money you want and I’ll give it jeez. I have more important things to do, dumbass. Have you ever taken AP Chem?” 

To everyone, but MJ’s, shock, the guy actually nods.

“Then you'll understand my dilemma. I need to study my ass off to maintain my 4.5 GPA which I can't get without an A in that forsaken class so, for the love of God, please get a life and harass the rats at the subway instead.”

“Hey, watch your fucking tone- “ and before he could pull the knife closer to MJ’s neck, Spider- Man webs his knife behind the guy and swings done to hit him square in the face which lets MJ go.

She dusts off her jeans and assesses him. “Good job. Maybe next time, be a _tad_ bit earlier. But still, not too bad timing Spidey.”

It was hard to concentrate webbing up a man to the brick wall while MJ said 'Spidey', but somehow, he managed.

When he’s done taping him up, he taps on the spider emblem on his chest, which, due to Peter’s consistent nagging and pestering with Mr. Stark’s suit engineers, spills out a sticky note and a pen.

_Thank you, Mr. Stark._

“Dear NYPD,

I know you guys are tired of me leaving sticky notes and webs behind, but look who I caught! 

Respectfully,  
Spidey”

He looks back to see MJ assessing Josh’s bruise on his right temple. 

He really didn’t want or need to see that. 

"Wow, aren't you being all sweet to me," Josh says smugly and it takes all of his memories of the hours Mr. Stark drawled on about not mixing personal affairs with Spidey affairs to stop him from webbing Josh to the farthest building from MJ.

"Shut up, dumbass. Are you actually okay? Like, seriously, don't play macho with me." She looks him over and it makes Peter feel left out and uncomfortable.

And a little bit butt hurt if he was going to be completely honest, but that doesn't matter.

“It looks like you two citizens are okay? I’m just going to-“ and before he launches a web at the nearest building stupid kiss ass Josh has to comment.

"Thank you so, so much dude. We really appreciate all that you've done. That cat saving yesterday? Absolutely cool. My grandma is your biggest fan, for real."

Now, Peter had two, in his opinion, realistic options.

Either say "Thank you," and give a casual little laugh which whisks MJ off her worn out combat boots _or_ give him the bird and somehow manage to charm MJ off with that. In all honesty, the second option would probably capture MJ's attention more, but then again, Spidey contract.

"It's what I'm here to do," he shrugs and says, "Gotta go, get home safely _jovenes_!".

_Shit, I have Spanish homework to do. I'll just ask MJ if she found a link to the ans-._

_Double shit. If she remembers how I sound when I speak Spanish, I'm fuc-._

"Adios, Spidey," and Peter could have _sworn_ MJ mouthed "and study for Verbos, dumbass".

_Oh._

He swings himself up onto the roof of the building, but, before he could leave, stupid Josh had to speak.

"This is all crazy. How are you so damn calm right now?" and Peter hides behind the satellite on the building so he could continue hearing.

MJ's rules on privacy be damned.

Actually, no, Peter fully supports those rules and is only listening on for her safety and _maybe_ Josh's safety too.

"I don't know. As cliché, and you know how much I detest cliches, as it is, life is real damn short and if I was scared of everything or anyone, I wouldn't enjoy anything. And, going along with that point, I wouldn't be doing shit either." She starts to walk under the lamplight to her house that, according to Karen, is approximately three blocks down.

"You're right," and he starts to follow her. From Peter's current position, above the canopy of a bodega, he can see Josh nervously laugh and fidget. "Shit, wait. I have to tell you something."

She stops walking and looks back at him. "What now? Nothing you say ever surprises me, especially that 'surprising fact' that your great great great grandfather was cousins with Jackie Kennedy. I don't know why you expected me to fall on my knees and like worship you." 

"Shut up, you love my daily new facts." MJ laughs so he light shoves her to which MJ fully attacks him and shoves him with such MJ-ish force that he almost falls to pavement. 

_That's my girl._

She laughs then says, "Whatever helps you sleep tonight, my guy. I'm going to guess that you're going to say that you were lying when you said you "don't know how to set up a chem lab"? I been knew, imbecile."

She laughs when she sees him with his mouth open.

"What? You knew? But how-".

"You left your folder open and I could see all the hundreds you've been getting on your lab reports. An amateur move, honestly."

"You're seriously brilliant, truly," he says in awe. 

_I've been knowing, dumbass_ , Peter can't help but think.

"And that's why I really don't want to say what I'm going to say, but it doesn't matter what I feel. You're right, life is short and you deserve to know. What I'm going to say is going to make me sound like a dumbass, but, as previously stated, you've 'been knowing'. I just hope you won't be too angry with me because I really do like you, remember that, please."

They've been walking at such a fast pace that she's almost at her building and Peter has to lay on the roof of the building opposite of them to see it. 

"What are you even-."

"You're right, I didn't need help for the chem lab. I- I-," and Josh genuinely looks nervous.

Peter shouldn't be as giddy yet nervous as he is right now.

"Okay, so one of my friends dared me to actually get close to you and essentially get a date from you," and although he can't see what's going on well enough, he can just tell MJ what MJ is about to do. "And, _yes_ , I know how that sounds, but before you walk aw-" he continues, but it doesn't matter.

MJ slams the door in his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You know how much it cheers me up when you curse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back babies<33

“Hey,” she says.

He can hear muffled sad sniffles in the back, but maybe it was just poor cell phone service.

Maybe.

_MJ._

“I know we have that Verbos test tomorrow and I know I keep on taking up your time, but I really need someone-.”

And how could he _possibly_ not agree to whatever she was asking with that being said?

And so, he says, “Of course,” and quickly speeds home to change before MJ makes it to his place.

  


It’s been thirty minutes since she called him and it only takes ten minutes from her place to his place so he’s worried. He was about to leave to go get MJ himself, but when he opens the door, he finds her already there about to knock. 

And a bit teary eyed.

_Shit._

“Hey-“.

And before he could continue, MJ enters in, closes the door, and hugs him. Sure, she cried and snot may or may not have gotten on his favorite and limited edition Stark crewneck, but he didn’t care.

Plus, MJ’s hair, which he did not creepily smell, smelled pretty good so it balanced it out in the end.

He doesn’t really know what to do, honestly. He’s never been and never will be good at comforting people. Although for some reason, MJ seems to appreciate the small circles he rubs on her back so he continues to do that.

“Do you want to talk about it?” his voice squeaks at the end when he says that and he can hear MJ give a light laugh.

_That’s good._

She shakes her head ‘no’ then and says, “No offense, Parker, and with respect to the fact that you let me in, I’d rather not talk about anything right now.”

“That’s okay. Whatever floats your boat,” and he can just tell MJ rolled her eyes at that, “Want to watch Netflix? I heard about this new series called Big Mouth. It seems pretty cool from what I heard in P.E..”

He gets blinded by her hair in his face as it moves back and forth so he takes that as a ‘yes’.

  


She steals some popcorn from the bowl in his lap and he doesn’t know how to feel. “You really trusted the opinions of the people we have P.E. with? God, I thought I was horrible with my trusting instincts.” 

He opens his mouth to comment something along the lines about Josh, but he reminds himself that now is not the appropriate time or place.

“First of all, I didn’t know this show would be, um, like _that_. But, admit it, it’s pretty funny, right?” 

"Whatever, Parker," she says while throwing a gummy worm at him which, _Thank you so much spider bite_ , he caught gracefully.

“You don’t mind if I ask you for some advise, right?

“I don’t think you really want the advice I can give.”

“It’s better than nothing, Parker.”

“Well-.”

She makes a shush noise, so he quiets.

"I’ve never ever had this low of a self esteem as I do right now and it’s reallly disrupting me so don't make fun of me, okay?" she says as she turns to him, "I'm serious, alright. Do you- do you think there’s something _wrong_ with me? I don't think there is, but maybe I'm biased."

If Peter wasn’t absolutely floored, he would’ve snorted at her last comment.

“It’s-,” she sighs, “I mean, yeah, I get it. I’m not necessarily the most _likable_ girl out there, but I still deserve better. And, _I_ know that. But, I don’t know, maybe it was stupid of me to think he actually _liked_ me.”

Peter was mad. How dare she have the audacity to think she was anything _but_ Michelle fucking Jones, the literal best.

“Don’t.” He says it so quietly and so harshly that MJ’s taken aback.

“MJ, as long as you know that you are, you know, worthy of literally anyone because you’re the coolest, smartest, and prettiest,” which causes MJ’s jaw to drop, “girl anyone will and could ever know, than that’s good enough. You don’t have to wonder why some people might not see you like how you actually are," he says and he makes sure to only think, _and like how I see you_. "It’s because they’re stupid and dumbasses.”

MJ laughs at that.

She smiles up at him and wipes away, what she would adamantly deny, a tear and says, "You know how much it cheers me up when you curse.”

“Anything to make my second best friend happy again.” 

MJ just lightly smiles, which she begrudgingly allows, and leans into his shoulder.

“Don’t say anything, loser. I’m sad and your shoulder is a comfy place for my head.”

“Whatever you say, MJ.”

  


“No.”

_Can a girl just get to her first period twenty minutes late without a damn boy making her even later?_

“Move.”

He allows her to shove him away so she has room to get her books. 

“Why are you waiting at my locker? Don’t you have a French class to be in? Or are you lying about being in that class too?”.

She glares at him then shuts her locker door sharply. 

He jogs up to get in front of her and backpedals as she makes quick strides to history.

_I can’t believe this dang school makes me take a walk across the school and up two flights of stairs for one class._

“I wanted to wait for you like I normally do.”

“Well, it’s no longer appreciated. Context clues, Josh. Use them.”

He makes a sad puppy face.

If she still thought that face was just cute and not a cute lying face, she would have just playfully rolled her eyes and let him do whatever.

But, there was no room to play anymore.

“Come on, MJ. Just let me explain. You know I-“.

“But, that’s the thing. I _don’t_. News flash, dumbass, lying to someone leaves the person that was lied to clueless.”

Josh makes a stung facial expression and she’s tempted to fix it.

But, fuck him.

“Josh, just-“.

Then they see Ned walking through the hallways with the bathroom pass in hand, playing some game on his phone that made a shooting noise.

“Come on, Peter. Shoot the-.”

_Nerd. On second thought, maybe my hero._

“Hey! Ned! Walk with me to history, yeah?”.

He looks up and looks to MJ and Josh. He could fee the tension from even there.

He doesn’t want to be included in that mess. He would only get included if MJ needed him and if Peter was included. And, unfortunately for Ned, both the reasons were true.

“But, I’m going to the bathroom.”

MJ glares at him and widens her eyes while she fake smiles. “My class is on the way.”

Ned just shrugs and waits for MJ to jog up to him.

MJ’s about to make a quick speed walk to Ned when she feels Josh’s hand on her wrist. 

“Can we please talk, after school or lunch?”.

Ned has a bored expression, but she knows he’s intrigued. And, when he’s intrigued, he’ll tell Peter. For some reason, she doesn’t want Peter to know her answer.

“Just- just give me some time, okay? When I want to talk to you, I will.”

He just side steps so he’s not in her way and gives a curt nod.

She looks back at him when she’s walking with Ned.

He’s looking right back at her too.

  


“So, uh, what game is that? Seems like some lame war of wars type of game.”

Ned rolls his eyes.

_Oh, sweet ignorance is truly bliss._

"Nothing that _you_ would appreciate, Jones."

"Hey! I played Call of Duty with you two dweebs one Saturday! I _appreciate_ that game."

Ned looks at her, gives her a questioning stare, and mouthes, "Okay, sure."

"MJ, you fell asleep ten minutes into that game." She was about to contest when he says, "And I know what you're doing, trying to distract me."

MJ's mouth open and closes.

"No worries. I won't tell Peter, although I don't know why you don't want him to."

"Who says I don't want to?".

"Okay, true. So, I can tell him?".

MJ's silent.

"That's what I thought," Ned says smugly.

“Why do you care about what Peter thinks, anyway?”. He only asks this because the all the dramatic irony in all the books in the world were screaming at him to do so.

Truth be told, Ned wasn’t dumb. He couldn’t afford to, anyway, or else his scholarship for this school would be taken away, but still. With Ned not being dumb and Peter being clueless with his little looks and MJ’s obliviousness to Peter’s and her own feelings, Ned figured everything out.

They, meaning no one but himself, don’t call him wingman matchmaker for nothing.

“I don’t know,” she shrugs, “I just do. He’s my friend.”

_Interesting, ‘friend’. Last time I remember, and I’m friends with Peter, but I don’t get sad when he isn’t at school or get jealous when he talks to Cindy about Lang homework instead of asking myself._

Yeah, so _maybe_ MJ and Peter were friends. But, as anyone but MJ and Peter could tell, they were also a little bit something extra too.

**Author's Note:**

> OK, but timdieya is real and that's that.


End file.
